Improvement in congress-gaiters



C. LIBBY.

CONGRESS GAITERS.

No. 189,476. Patented April 10, 1877.

MRS 3mm.

NJ'ETERS, FHT-LITHOGRAFHER.,WASHINGTON C UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS LIBBY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONGRESS- GAITERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [89,476. dated April10, 1877; application filed December 30, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS IIIBBY, of Ohicago, State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Congress-Gaiters, of which thefollowing is a specification My invention relates to that class of shoesin which the top orankle portion is composed of front and back piecesjoined by the insertion of elastic gores, one on each side, and known ascongress-gaiters. .It consists inextendingthe front ankle-piece from theseam joining it, with the gore backward, on each side, to form a lapel,overlying the gore, with the object of concealing and protecting thesame, such lapels being formed and secured in a manner more specificallyset forth below.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification,Figure 1 shows a complete gaiter provided with the lapels fastened inplace, and Fig. 2 shows the top only, with one lapel turned over towardthe elastic gore.

The top consists of the usual front and back anklepieces A and A, joinedby the elastic gores B B, which are seamed from top to bottom to A andA, as shown, and the lapels C C. These lapels may be of the same piecewith A, or each may be a separate piece joined to the top at'theseamuniting A and B. The lapels are held down over the gores mainly byseaming them in at the bottom with the gores. In addition to thisfastening a single loop or strap, D, at the ankle-joint suffices to keepthem in place. By reason of thus seaming the lapel in at the bottom itis necessary to make the counter t'oxing about half an inch lower thanit is commonly made, in order that the gaiter may be drawn on the footwith ease.

It is also desirable to this end, and in consequence of this seaming-inof the lapel, to cut the gaiter a quarter of an inch larger through theheel. With these provisions the shoe will be drawn on withoutdifficulty.

No method of employing elastic gores in shoe-uppers efl'ects sodesirable results as that by which they are made to extend above theankle-joint and are secured to both front and back ankle-pieces, asshown herein, forming the popular congress gaiter; but it is a seriousfault with mens congress-gaiters (for which my construction is moreespecially designed) that the gores become unsightly and ineffectivefrom the Wear they receive at the ankle-joint by contact with thepantaloons. As it is impossible to repair them neatly, I have sought toprevent this wear, and thus remedy the fault, without modification ofthe general form of the shoe or the arrangement of the parts; moreover,showing no lacing or other attachment in front or at the side-portionsof the upper most frequently exposed to view in a gentlemans gaiter. Thegaiter provided with lapels, as above described, has very much theappearance of a boot.

In both these particulars the construction described and claimed isbelieved to possess important advantages over any other having the sameend in view.

I do not claim a gore or gores of elastic material placed beneath thequarters ofa shoe; but expressly limit myself to the addition of lapelsto the top of a congress-gaiter covering the gores, and held in place inthe manner set forth. In other words,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a congress-gaiter top, consisting of front and backankle-pieces A and A and the gores B B, connecting said ankle'pieces, ofthe lapels C C, joined to or continuous with A, seamed in with the goresat the bottom, and overlying the gores, for their concealment andprotection, substantially as described and shown.

CYRUS LIBBY.

Attest:

MELVILLE E. DAYTON, THOS. B. FARRINGTON.

